Padgett's father, Mical, says the family wants to know how his son got a hold of the substance.

"We would like to know how Blain got his hands on this drug that seems very difficult to get," the family said in a statement released to Ch. 13. "That's our main question. How did he get it and why did he take it? Sadly, nothing we find out will bring Blain back, which is what we really want."

Rice said "Out of respect for Blain and his family, we will not discuss personal or private matters. His family, teammates and friends continue to have our deepest condolences."

Padgett, a redshirt junior defensive lineman from Hardin-Jefferson, had 3.5 career sacks at Rice and was expected to be a key player for the Owls this fall.

He was a 2014 Beaumont Enterprise Super Gold football award winner. Padgett, who graduated from Hardin-Jefferson in 2015, was also a high school defensive MVP, All-District 9-4A District II pick and National Honor Society member, according to his bio on the Rice University website.

At Rice, he was a preseason All-Conference USA third-team pick in 2017 and made the Conference USA Commissioner's Honor Roll in both 2016 and 2017.

Padgett had 14 tackles his freshman year and 41 his sophomore year, the Rice website states.

He was buried on March 8 at Rosedale Cemetery in Sour Lake following a funeral service in Beaumont. The Rice football team attended and served as honorary pallbearers.